F&B establishments reminded of penalties for flouting Covid-19 rules as new measures kick in allowing more to dine in
SINGAPORE - Food and beverage (F&B) establishments were reminded of the need to conduct checks as new measures kick in on Wednesday (Nov 10) to allow more people from the same household to dine in together. These establishments will have to check patrons' SingPass app or NRICs for proof of residence for groups of more than two dining in, the authorities said. Children without these forms of identification can be allowed entry based on a declaration of their place of residence. "Strict enforcement actions will be taken against anyone who pretends to be from the same household as well as F&B establishments that do not implement the necessary checks. "Errant individuals will be fined, and F&B establishments will be subject to immediate closures. These penalties will apply even for first-time offenders," the authorities said. The joint statement was issued by Enterprise Singapore, the Housing Board, Singapore Food Agency, Singapore Tourism Board and the Urban Redevelopment Authority. From Wednesday, up to five fully vaccinated individuals from the same household are allowed to dine-in together at F&B establishments. However, dining in at hawker centres and coffee shops is still be limi...
Morning Briefing: Top stories from The Straits Times on Nov 2
Good morning! Here are our top stories to kick-start your Tuesday, Nov 2. Raeesah Khan should not have shared account with untruths in Parliament: Pritam Singh Aware said that the MP's actions had set back advocacy around sexual violence in Singapore. READ MORE HERE S'pore reports 2,470 new Covid-19 cases and 14 deaths; weekly infection growth rate down to 1.05 The weekly infection growth rate is at 1.05, down from 1.12 on Sunday. READ MORE HERE COP26 leaders vow new drive to end deforestation by 2030 The pledge is endorsed by more than 100 leaders representing over 85% of the world's forests. READ MORE HERE More on this topic Related Story ST newsletters: Get alerts on the latest news Extreme weather events are the new norm: World Meteorological Organisation Climate change contributed to the recent heatwave in north-west US and floods in western Europe. READ MORE HERE Britain defends PM Johnson's plan to jet out of COP26 back to London The PM's spokesman says the fuel used is sustainable and the emissions are offset as well. READ MORE HERE 5 changes to CPF rules: More flexibility for transfers, quicker disbursement of funds Various rules will be streamlined to make it easier for p...
GCL-Poly has Fulfilled all Resumption Guidance and will Resume Trading
HONG KONG, Oct 31, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Having fulfilled the five conditions set out in the Resumption Guidance on 29 October 2021, GCL-Poly Energy Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 3800.HK) ("GCL-Poly" or the "Company"; together with its subsidiaries, the "Group") has made an application to The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Stock Exchange") for the resumption of trading in GCL-Poly's shares with effect from 9:00 a.m. on 1 November 2021 (tomorrow) on the Stock Exchange. Fulfillment of the five conditions in the "Resumption Guidance" are as follows:1. Conduct an appropriate independent investigation into the various concerns raised by Deloitte in the Auditor Letter, assess the impact on GCL-Poly's business operation and financial position, disclose the findings and impact, and take appropriate remedial actions2. Publish all outstanding financial results required under the Listing Rules and address any audit modifications3. Demonstrate compliance with Rule 13.24 of the Listing Rules (i.e. GCL-Poly shall carry out, directly or indirectly, a business with a sufficient level of operations and assets of sufficient value to support its operations to warrant th...
Fed limits trading by top officials in wake of ethics scandal
WASHINGTON (BLOOMBERG) - The Federal Reserve will ban top officials from buying individual stocks and bonds, as well as limit active trading, after an embarrassing scandal that led two officials to resign and clouded chair Jerome Powell's path to renomination. "These tough new rules raise the bar high in order to assure the public we serve that all of our senior officials maintain a single-minded focus on the public mission of the Federal Reserve," Mr Powell said in the statement on Thursday (Oct 21). The Fed's action marks its most significant response yet to recent revelations over trading last year by a few top policymakers as the central bank fought to protect the US economy from Covid-19. While Mr Powell's critics seized on the disclosures as ammunition to block his potential renomination by United States President Joe Biden and demanded an investigation, the chair had said little beyond assuring Americans that the rules would be thoroughly reviewed. Senator Elizabeth Warren, among his most vocal opponents, has asked the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) to look into whether any insider trading rules were breached. Critics also seized on Mr Powell's own 2020 financial discl...
Thinner crowds at parks, markets as people stick to groups of 2 on first day of tighter Covid-19 rules
SINGAPORE - Fewer people were out and about at parks, hawker centres and markets on Sunday morning (May 16), the first day of the new tightened Covid-19 restrictions. Until June 13, people are allowed out only in groups of two, and dining in is prohibited. When The Straits Times visited popular parks and nature reserves like East Coast Park, Singapore Botanic Gardens and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, regular park-goers said that the Sunday morning crowd had thinned out and people were generally abiding by the rules. At Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, safe distancing ambassadors and National Parks Board (NParks) staff were spotted monitoring the crowd. Most hikers were seen keeping to the two-to-a-group rule and wearing masks as they hiked. The rock at the summit, a popular spot for pictures, was covered up with a "Work In Progress" sign. Hikers told ST that there were noticeably fewer people around on Sunday. Housewife Ms Wong, 56, who went hiking on Saturday and Sunday morning, said: "The crowd in the morning yesterday was so big, it seemed like a carnival. Everyone was trying to hike in big groups of friends or family before the new restrictions. "But today, it is so much less packed. ...
13 under probe for flouting Covid-19 rules after police raid
SINGAPORE - Thirteen people, aged between 21 and 33, are being investigated for breaching Covid-19 safe distancing rules. The police said in a statement on Monday (May 3) that they conducted a raid last Saturday on an office unit in Ubi Road 2 and found the five men and eight women allegedly drinking alcohol and socialising. The public entertainment and liquor are believed to have been provided at the venue without valid licences. The authorities found and seized karaoke equipment as a case exhibit. A 31-year-old man is believed to be the operator of the unit and will also be investigated for offences under the Public Entertainments Act and Liquor Control (Supply and Consumption) Act 2015, said the police. The offences of providing public entertainment and supplying liquor without a valid licence each carry a fine of up to $20,000. For flouting safe distancing measures, offenders may be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $10,000, or both. The police advise the public to take the prevailing safe distancing measures seriously, and say they will continue to take tough enforcement action against illegal activities. "Those found engaging in illicit activities, or in breach of safe...
China fintech curbs that hit Ant were no surprise, Ping An says
BEIJING (BLOOMBERG) - China's curbs on fintech that thwarted a massive stock sale by Ant Group have been under consideration for years and weren't a surprise to those in the industry, according to an executive at China's biggest insurer by market value. Like Ant, Ping An Insurance (Group) was in the midst of planning a public listing for a fintech unit when regulators began issuing a flurry of rules to contain the country's burgeoning online lending industry. Its Lufax Holding Ltd. debuted on the New York Stock Exchange days before the most-sweeping checks were unveiled in November, followed closely by the abrupt suspension of Ant's initial public offering. While the string of tightening moves has prompted investors to dump Chinese tech stocks and led to deep cuts in valuations, industry players saw them coming, Jessica Tan, co-chief executive officer of Ping An said in an interview. Ms Tan, 43, oversees Ping An's technology units including Lufax and OneConnect Financial Technology Co. "Chinese regulators don't suddenly throw a regulation at you and say 'we will do this,'" Ms Tan said while on a visit to her native Singapore. "Every regulation that has been announced, it's not a su...